I love when you have a ring on bracelet that makes people stop and talk. I wear my rings and bracelets everyday. So they are the one thing I feel its worth splurging on. I would rather have a beautiful ring that I don’t have to take off to shower, than 10 cheap diva rings that 50,000 other people across Australia own.

I get asked all the time about this ring (the green one), by friends, co-workers and checkout chicks.

It’s my favourite a one off, Afghani stone form Kartique, Fremantle. I leave those conversations about this ring feeling happy and justified in my purchase as stare down at my ring lovingly. I adore that it’s a unique piece and the value of interesting jewellery is seriously worth it!

Here are some picks that would make me feel special from an online store Kashgar.

I regularly visit their online store to drool and it’s nice that when you purchase an authentic handcrafted piece you know you are supporting traditional artisans and small village communities. all Items are personally collected by the Kashgar family run team.

Here are a few of the items that I wouldn’t mind in my closet. Go look for your own favourite finds.

Last night the Langham Ladies and I (minus Caitlin who’s currently holidaying in Europe!), went to see a play at the state (Heath Ledger) theatre.

Ok two things impressed me that night…

Firstly the building. It’s gorgeous and I really think they did an amazing job. I love the warmth of the exciting wooden interiors.

(etnow.com)

(Jess in the lobby)

and how fun is this entrance, who wouldn’t want to go to the theatre when you get to walk up this, disco disco!

Second was the play itself.

The Tim Watts play that had me marvelling at how ONLY three people seamlessly combined animation, haunting music, very talented puppetry, and acting. The animation was what stood out to me. I was very impressed with their creativity and it constantly had me wondering ‘how on earth are they doing that?’. The play itself was a bit poignant, exploring Alzheimer’s, memory loss and sundowning syndrome, but you could help but laugh at the light hearted way it was approached.

(image by Richard Jefferson)

now I know I’m leaving this a bit late as it only has two nights left, but if your free tonight and tomorrow night go check it out you wont be disappointed.

I have realised that I will be in perth for a while whilst I finish up the studies and It’s been making me miss the snow. There is no way in hell it will ever snow in perth 20″c sunny day in July mid winter is not uncommon. I know I should be soooo grateful for the weather and I am! but……

I want van chaud, beanies, fireplaces, snowbaording in the sun, tree’s ladened with snow and fairy lights. It’s magical and as much as I love sunny Australia I’ve been getting nostalgic looking at these photos of Stockholm, Sweeden and Val d’Isere, France from a trip earlier this year.

stockholm port

Val d’Isere

This was my street! my apartment was just behind the church, 3 girls in one bedroom though not as glamourous as the street suggests!

On the weekend I was shopping in Fremantle when I stumbled across these gorgeous 70s kitchen numbers. I love the bright pops of colour they wood add and the folk floral designs. However I decided that the food shopping was the higher priority (I’m not the kind of girl who can skip a meal) and left empty handed to head to the asian grocers and spend my cash there, but don’t worry bread box you’ll hold a place in my heart forever!

My langham ladies and I like to have a weekly tradition of ‘family dinner’ on monday nights. It’s so sweet to spend a night just us four hanging out together.

The past two weeks I have been house-sitting which I have really enjoyed (having my own BIG kitchen has been a major plus! Which I’m sure will take some adjusting when I return to langham) but I have missed the girls a lot!

I just got really lucky to have such great housemates. Here is some pictures of us making desert at a past family dinner…who says smores are only for camping.

You cant get graham crackers in Australia, and smores aren’t smores without graham crackers so I used a recipe adapted from here.

make smores and laugh with the ones you love! Cant wait to be back with these girls 🙂

Graham crackers

Makes 10 4 x 4.5-inch graham crackers

2 1/2 cups plus 2 T all-purpose flour

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 t baking soda

3/4 t coarse salt

7 T (100 grams) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes and frozen

1/3 cup apple juice concentrate syrup (or honey I just didn’t have enough in the house)

5 T milk full-fat

2 T vanilla extract

1 T cinnamon

Make the dough: Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Pulse or mix on low to incorporate. Add the butter and pulse on and off on and off, or mix on low, until the mixture is the consistency of a coarse meal.

In a small bowl, whisk together the syrup, milk, and vanilla extract. Add to the flour mixture and pulse on and off a few times or mix on low until the dough barely comes together. It will be very soft and sticky. (yummy as well try not to eat to much of the dough before its in cookie form or you will get a stomach ache like I did)

Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap and dust it lightly with flour, then turn the dough out onto it and pat it into a rectangle about 1-inch thick. Wrap it, then chill it until firm, about 2 hours or overnight.

Roll out the crackers: Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator. Sift an even layer of flour onto the work surface and roll the dough into a long rectangle about 1/8 inch thick. The dough will be sticky, so flour as necessary. Cut into cracker shapes.

Place the crackers on one or two parchment-lined baking sheets and sprinkle with the topping. Chill until firm, about 30 to 45 minutes in the fridge or 15 to 20 minutes in the freezer. Repeat with the second batch of dough.

preheat the oven to 350°F.

Decorate the crackers: Mark a vertical line down the middle of each cracker, being careful not to cut through the dough (for the traditional cracker shape). Using a toothpick or skewer (I like to use the blunt end of a wooden skewer for more dramatic dots), prick the dough to form two dotted rows about 1/2 inch for each side of the dividing line.

Bake for 15 to 25 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the touch, rotating the sheets halfway through to ensure even baking. [Be safe, check them sooner. I burnt my first batch and nobody likes a burnt cracker!]

Sometimes amongst my internet cruising i’ll stumble across something that truly takes my breath away. That’s what really makes the internet so amazing being able to tap into peoples creative projects all around the world. I learn a lot from it, sure its not degree relevant learning but when you stumble on a gem like this it feels a little bit less like procrastination.

This video to Sigur Ros’s Fjögur píanó is gorgeous, it is so beautiful it’s humbling please take a moment and improve your day by feasting your eyes on this….you wont regret it!